Mobile World Capital Barcelona defines the main action plans for 2013

December 19, 2012

During its last meeting of 2012, the Board of the Mobile World Capital Foundation defined the action plans for 2013 and analysed the various initiatives that are being implemented to develop the MWCapital. The official inauguration of Mobile World Centre (MWCentre), due to take place next February, and the location of the Mobile World Hub (MWHub) -home of the industrial project- in the emblematic Media-TIC building were some of the topics covered.

In yesterday afternoon’s meeting, the Board chaired by the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias, took stock of the activities carried out in 2012 and the stage of development of the MWHub industrial projects; in particular those concerned with mHealth (health sector) and mWallet (turning mobiles into digital wallets), as well as the Mobile World Festival (MWFestival) programme and elements.

The industrial heart of MWCapital will be the Media-TIC building, situated in Barcelona’s 22@technological district. The centre will occupy two floors and 2,800 m2 that will house the MWCapital offices and the Capabilities and Competence Centres, in charge of providing Barcelona with the tools and resources needed to drive the different industrial projects. In this unique building, designed by the Cloud-9 architectural studio and a yardstick in energy sustainability, will also house GSMA’s offices in Barcelona.

The inauguration of the MWCentre, the main portal to the world of mobile communications for the general public situated in Barcelona’s Plaza de Catalunya, is planned for early February. Its three floors will house a shopping space, an area dedicated to the circulation and experimentation of the latest mobile technologies, and a section for holding temporary events and exhibitions.

Julio Linares has joined the Board in representation of Telefónica, following the incorporation of the telecommunications company in the MWCapital. Linares, telecommunications engineer and current VP of Telefónica, is the first board member from the private sector to join the highest management body of the MWCapital.

mHealth and mWallet, underway

The MWCapital team is working on two mHealth projects: the Personal Health Folder, with a complete medical history that will be available through mobile devices for users and their doctors and carers, and a control and treatment platform for patients who suffer of heart failure, which will improve the follow-up of patients and their care. In both cases, the team is working with companies and institutions in the sector to define the requisites and needs of each project.

The programme to develop the mWallet has also begun. After the incorporation of different leading NFC (Near Field Communication) companies, such as NXP and Toro, the team in charge of the project is working on a large-scale experience all over Barcelona to be carried out during the next Mobile World Congress (MWCongress), which will be held for the first time in Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via Exhibition Centre.

Roadmap for 2013

The Board has approved action plans including the opening of a Madrid office that will be situated in the building of the State Secretariat for Telecommunications and the Information Society. In 2013, the Competence and Capabilities Centres will be set up and 19 industrial development projects are due to be launched.

With regard to the MWFestival, the different elements of the annual programme have been defined. The events are aimed at the public and associate members of this festival, including Summer Week, which will pack Montjuïc with cultural activities on the September 14th and 15th 2013. The activities programme will consist of spaces dedicated to music, cinema, sports and mobile lifestyle and could attract over 100,000 people.

About Mobile World Capital Barcelona

Mobile World Capital Barcelona is an initiative aimed at turning the city into the permanent global centre of mobile technologies, where people, companies, and institutions work together to exploit the potential of mobile technologies as an element to transform daily life and create new business opportunities.

Promoted by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Barcelona City Council, Fira de Barcelona, and GSMA – that represents the interests of over 800 mobile phone operators worldwide and over 2000 companies in the mobile ecosystem –, is based on four pillars: MWHub and MWCongress, concerned with industrial and business development, MWCentre and MWFestival that impact people and their social life. An Executive Commission, headed by John Hoffman and Agustín Cordón, as executive VPs and Ginés Alarcón, as CEO, will be spearheading the project.